As he transformed into a catcher this season, he showed off his perfect skills and tied for the lead in home runs due to his good batting sense.퀸알바
Kang Baek-ho, who proudly presented himself as the Rookie of the Year by hitting 29 home runs in his debut season in 2018, had a spectacular debut ceremony as he recorded the most home runs in a single season as a high school graduate. In the 2021 season, he had 179 hits and 102 RBIs, leading him to his first career championship since KT was founded. Since then, he has faltered for two years. He had a hard time due to poor performance due to various injuries and various controversies.
Things have changed this season, however. The momentum is extraordinary. Most of all, he changed to a catcher. He played both a pitcher and a catcher at the same time when he was at Seoul High School, but since his debut, he has played as a first baseman and an outfielder. He changed positions this year. He usually plays designated hitter and wears a catcher mask once or twice a week. With the introduction of the Automatic Pitcher Judgment System (ABS) this year, offensive catcher is emerging in Kang’s favor.
Earlier, KT manager Lee Kang-chul praised Kang as a catcher, saying, “Baekho is completely different from Jang Sung-woo in ball batting. Opposing hitters are bound to be confused. He has good pitching capability and is capable of blocking stolen bases. If he becomes a free agent in the future, his ransom could completely change.”
Did he gain confidence? He gained confidence in his play, and his batting skills improved. His batting average only stood at 0.265 in March, but he jumped to 0.336 in April when he began actively as catcher. As of Thursday, Kang had a batting average of 0.327 with 17 home runs (joint No. 1) and 80 RBIs, which enabled him to have high expectations for his career.
On the 2nd, Kang started as the third designated hitter in an away game against KIA, and led his team to victory by scoring three first runs in the first inning. Kang hit his 17th homer of this season, tying for the lead in home runs with SSG’s Choi Jeong. He is also targeting the “multiple crown” for his first hit, as he has been hitting hard day after day. If he maintains the current pace, he will be able to win his first individual title and up to triple crown.
Kang is dreaming of making another leap after getting rid of his slump over the past two years. If he manages his physical stamina in the summer and maintains his current sense of hitting, he will likely have a chance to achieve a milestone this season.